Application Architecture: Introduction

TOGAF is the architecture framework that is used by the HTNG Reference Architecture Team. TOGAF describes the application architecture as logical groups of capabilities that manage data or information. In other words, the application architecture does not describe concrete computer systems and deployed software; rather it describes the logical functions, responsibilities, or tasks that will need to be provided by existing or future systems to support the business.

Business versus Infrastructure Applications

TOGAF distinguishes between applications that are generic and required by all businesses and those that are specific to a business or industry. Common applications are known in TOGAF as Infrastructure Applications. These infrastructure applications may include applications like word processors, web application servers, and general accounting services.
Business or Industry Applications are those that are unique to an industry, business, or company. TOGAF is flexible in that it recognizes that one company’s business application may be another company’s infrastructure application. A reservation application is an example of a business application within the lodging industry. However, a reservation application might also be a part of the application architecture for an educational institution or an equipment rental company.

Guest Services

Guest Services Applications are those applications that support a guest stay.

Guest Services Application

The Guest Services Application includes collecting, tracking and reporting on all detail related to customer stays for individual customers, including:
Check-in – Displays room assignments, provides keys, enables or activates room devices and services.
Device Management - Serves as a general integration point for the “Room Media, Devices, and Features Management” system. The integration allows managing and interfacing with various property-based devices (i.e., telephone switch, in-room media services, point of sale devices, etc.). Also provides appropriate charges and supporting detail for folio.
Folio Management – Applies charges to customer folio as the charges are received from other services. This also provides an interface to collect charges generated by others systems like the Point of Sale system.
Check-out – Provides printed folio, disable room access, devices and services.
Guest Experience – Tracks information about guest experiences as they stay at the property. This includes tracking complaints or requests and their resolutions.

Guest Information Application

The Guest Information Application provides access to all of the information stored about guests. This information includes (but is not limited to);

Name

Customer Identifiers

Contact information

Current reservations

Itinerary Management

Past Stay Information

Loyalty Points Levels and Status

Preferences

Preferred Rate eligibility

Partner affiliations

This application supports information about all guests, not just those that belong to a loyalty program.

In Room Media, Device, and Room Feature Management

The In Room Feature Management application serves as a general purpose utility for managing and interfacing with various property-based devices (i.e., telephone switch, in-room media services, point of sale devices, etc.). It provides the tools needed to enable, disable, or configure in room media systems or other devices or room features. It also provides appropriate charges and supporting detail for the guest services application. Examples of some of the functions may include:

Pay-per-view blocking

Internet access enablement

Disable Telephone ringer

Concierge Application

The Concierge Application supports the concierge or desk clerk by tracking and making restaurant, show, and attraction reservations, purchasing tickets, scheduling transportation services, and passing charges to the folio application.

The Concierge application also provides information about events and points of interest located near the properties. Points of Interest include;

Nearby Businesses and Shopping

Local Attractions and Events

Nearby Parks and Recreation Facilities

Government Facilities and Schools

Each Point of Interest should be geo-coded with latitude and longitude or discoverable using a geographic based search. Event information must also include description, location, and dates of the event. The application must also be able to display maps that locate and identify the event or POI and provide directions between the POI and property locations.

Point of Sale Application

The Point of Sale Application is responsible for providing point of sale services in retail, food and beverage, and other outlets. Functionality includes:

Transaction and Payment Management

Retail Inventory Management

This application must integrate with the Folio Management Application to post charges to a customer’s room bill.

Facilities Maintenance

Facilities Management Application

The Facilities Management Application is responsible for supporting the management of the physical quality of property, furniture, fixtures and equipment. The application consists of the following primary modules;

Work Order Management

Facility Details and Documentation

This application must provide tracking, analysis and reporting of engineering information including preventive and reactive maintenance metrics.

Work Order Management Module

The Work Order Management Module maintains preventive maintenance schedules and schedules and assigns ad-hoc work as it arises to the maintenance staff.

Reservations

Availability and Rates Application

The Availability and Rates application applies business rules against the inventory, reservation, and rates applications and returns information regarding room availability and rates.

Room Reservation Application

The Room Reservation Application allows reservations to be made and tracked against inventory. The application maintains reservation records reserving specific types of rental inventory for a guest or customer at one or more properties.
Reservation information includes identifiers for customer and guest, offered rate information, channel information, and cancellation policies.

Room Inventory Application

The Room Inventory Application is responsible for maintaining the inventory of all sleeping rooms and other rental inventory items. The inventory application works in conjunction with the reservation application to determine the availability of inventory for future reservations.

Room Assignment Application

The Room Assignment Application applies the appropriate business rules against current inventory, reservations, and guest preferences to assign specific rooms to guests.

Back Office

Back Office Applications are those applications required for the smooth functioning of the business. Often these are infrastructure applications and may not be specific to the lodging industry.

Financial Applications

Financial Applications are those Applications that deal with the accounting, finance, and financial reporting needs of the company.

Accounts Payable Application

Asset Management

Billing and Receivables Application

Financial Control and Reporting Application

Investor Relations Application

Loan Servicing Application

Procurement Application

Payroll Application

In general the common Financial Applications like accounts payable and general ledger are considered to be Infrastructure Applications because they are not unique to any specific business or industry.

Human Resources Applications

Human Resources Applications support the needs for managing the workforce.

Benefits Administration Application

Human Resources Information Application

Labor Management and Scheduling Application

Learning Management Application

Organization and Capability Application

These applications are not unique to the Lodging Industry and are considered infrastructure applications.

Consumable Inventory

The Consumable Inventory Application is responsible for tracking the on-hand quantities of consumable supply items, and other inventoried items. These are the items required for the operations of the lodging business. It should be able to determine re-order points and economic re-order quantities.

Purchasing and Procurement Application

The Purchasing and Procurement Application manages the acquisition of physical assets and services required to operate the property. This may be an infrastructure application.

Labor Scheduling

The Labor Scheduling Application manages work schedules and labor resources to ensure adequate resources are available to meet the current needs of the property and its guests. This may be an infrastructure application.

Policy and Procedure Application

The Policy and Procedure Application is responsible for maintaining;

Principles

Policies

Regulations

Statutes

Standards

Operating Procedures

Best Practices

The application must support displaying the information in a variety of forms, including printed and on-line access by end users at the properties. Some information may be in the form of graphics, animation, and/or full-motion video. Indexed search capabilities must be provided to allow users to find relevant and appropriate policy reference material.

Sales

Sales applications support the Sales efforts of the business. Many of these functions may be provided by a standard CRM application.

Account and Opportunity Management Application

The Account and Opportunity Management application supports the sales process for group and account sales. Functions include:

Account Contact and Relationship Management

Lead tracking

Capture demographic details and relationships to other contacts

Opportunity generation and management

Sales person tracking

Account history summary

Proposal generation

Contract generation and closing management

Assign sales people to Accounts

Prospect Management

Commissions

Channel Management and Tracking Application

The Channel Management and Tracking Application is responsible for tracking and managing details, profiles, and results from all sales channels and intermediaries. The application manages commissions and fees associated with Travel agencies, GDS systems, and all other electronic distribution channels including third-party Internet-based services. The services include;

Event Services Applications

Allows entry and reporting of event planning including room configuration and table coordination.

Event Space and Resource Reservation Application

Reserves event space and resources and may coordinate with sleeping room reservation application

Event Content Management

Event Content Management manages content related to the event. This might include a special event website as well as information for signage and meetings locations and programs. It is likely this application is integrated with or a component of the Event Operation and Planning applications.

Event Operation Application

The Event Operation Application provides functions to insure the event operates smoothly. It is the source for event space room and resource assignments and room setup and is responsible for publishing during event messages to signs.

Event Pricing Application - Sales

Aids in the preparation of pricing an event includes F&B and anything that's included in the contract: e.g.; Video, DJ, and packaging

Tracking and history of potential and past event customers, includes reporting and analytics

Event Contract Management - Sales

A contract management system - make a part of the base architecture, includes contract template catalog.

Event Space Inventory - Sales

Manages inventory and availability of event and banquet spaces.

Event Space Reservation - Sales and Planning

Manages reservations for event spaces.

Event Space Assignment - Operations

Assign event space to a particular obligation based on the agreed upon sale. For example this may be associated with a contract line item or specific reservation.

Event Space Configuration - planning and operations

I propose we combine the planning, operations, and content management into one application with the following functional components:

Unresolved Points

Loyalty Systems

Discussion - should be a part of the base architecture

Discuss - These can be a part of the POS system or an interface to the POS system module or third party module. May be considered part of payment system except for loyalty portion. Loyalty\CRM may include custom discounts and offers depending on status of customer.

Gift Card/Certificates

Discussion - should be a part of the base architecture

Discuss - These can be a part of the POS system or an interface to the POS system module or third party module. May be considered part of payment system except for loyalty portion. Loyalty\CRM may include custom discounts and offers depending on status of customer.

Definition - A gift card is a restricted monetary equivalent or scrip that is issued by hotels to be used as an alternative to a non-monetary gift.